Hi All, Please note that construction activities at the Mitchell (West-Perth) Wetlands have begun this week as we move forward to install a pumping system (to allow moving water between the ponds) and to do some scultping of the the main pond at the back.
If you decide to visit the site while the construction work is going on PLEASE be cautious of the trucks and other equipment. For safety reasons the main intersection of berms adjacent to the back pond has been fenced off...SO to get to the back pond safely right now you'll need to follow the main east-west berm from the parking lot going east all the way around the large "L" shaped pond (this takes you behind the treament plant) to arrive at the north-east corner of the back pond. NOTE: this access MAY CHANGE depending on the sculpting activities. Once that commences they may temporarily set the entire back pond and berms off limits. I took a quick run out there this evening (most construction activities seem to end by late afternoon) and saw several hundred birds including: - SB Dowitcher (the first 3 of the southbound migration) - Lesser Yellowlegs (200+...along with two other flocks totalling 120 birds that flew out while I was there) - Greater Yellowlegs (15+) - Solitary Sandpiper (5) - Spotted Sandpiper (30+) - many many peeps...Least Sandpiper / Semi-P Sandpiper - Pectoral Sandpiper (just 1 but I'm sure more were around) - SP Plover (2) - Killdeer (lots) Also had Ruddy Duck (2M and 1F/Imm??) which is the earliest I've ever had them at Mitchell for their southbound migration. I'll try and provide further updates on the construction work as it progresses....and on the birds too. :) Take care....and good birding, Dave Brown _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list [email protected] For instructions to join or leave ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdssetup.php ONTBIRDS Guidelines may be viewed at http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdsguide.php
